Tag Archives: Christianity

When Mary and Joseph fled to protect the life of their son, Jesus, they became refugees. Unless I am sadly mistaken that makes Jesus a refugee.

How is it then that so many Evangelical Christians worship a refugee on Sunday, but despise refugees the rest of the week? Am I missing something here? Or, is there a true disconnect with what so many of us profess and what we really believe?

This sign in front of the Canadian Memorial Centre for Peace provides a powerful message to all of us this Sunday morning, especially those of us who claim to worship the living Christ. Those living in faithfulness to the Gospel understand that love builds longer tables and even bridges. Only fear and hatred builds walls.

I do not claim to be a Biblical scholar, but I am fairly certain that Jesus didn’t invite the lost, the broken, the weary, and the stranger into concentration camps to help keep the nation of Israel racially pure.

And when He said, “let the little children come unto me…” I know it was not to rip them from their parents and throw them into cages.

The Predator-in-Chief, the Attorney General, and the majority of Republicans disagree. But, their understanding of faithfulness and discipleship is far different than mine.

I am not sure what their religious beliefs are, or who they claim as their spiritual guide. What I am sure of is they have nothing in common with with the Christ of the Gospels.

The closest I can see them coming to Christ is found in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25. It is in verses 31 when He tells them, “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has be prepared for the devil and his angels.”

When the church has been stolen by the religious right it is no longer the place of love that Jesus created. If you feel stolen is too strong a word, I will settle for co-opted.

Many who Jesus died for, and loves the most, are being mocked, excluded, vilified, and intentionally made to feel unwanted and unwelcome. This has to break God’s heart.

When the least of these are not welcome, Jesus is being excluded as well. When we close our doors to them, we close our door to God.

The gulf between the poor (the marginalized, the hungry, the stranger, the immigrant, those who are different than us in any way) and us is actually the gulf between us and God. It’s time to help Jesus get His church back. It’s supposed to be a place of love and acceptance, not a place of hate.

Actions speak far louder than words. And the reality is that no amount of lying can cover up the lack of love, caring and compassion that is missing from this man’s life. Christianity is not a cloak of respectability to be worn to cover immoral actions.